Bridge plate for railroad cars



Jan. 14, 1969 E. B. coNNERAT 3,421,454

BRIDGE PLATE FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed April l5, 1966 2b IOb I q l) E@ ,Ng

livr: so@ 1e 2%6/ INVENTOR EdwinECo/rneraf ATTGRNEYS Jan. 14, 1969 E, B. coNNr-:RAT 3,421,454

BRIDGE PLATE FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed April 15, 196e Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR Edwin B. Canne/'af ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,421,454 BRIDGE PLATE `FOR RAILROAD CARS Edwin B. Connerat, Alexandria, Va., assignor of onefourth each to Denver Eyler, Atlanta, Ga., and Albert J. Hinton, Fairfax County, Va.

Filed Apr. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 542,881 U.s. Cl. 10s-45s Int. Cl. B61d 47/00; B61d 45/00 (-.laims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to bridging means for bridging the gap between a pair of coupled railroad iiat cars, and more particularly to an improved bridge plate pivot construction that aifords movement of the bridge plate between horizontal and vertical positions and further permits movement about a central vertical pivot axis when the bridge plate is in its normal horizontal carbridging position.

It is known in the prior art to provide at diagonally opposed corners of a railroad flat car bridge plates that are pivotable from a vertical load-retaining position to a horizontal position that bridges the gap between two successive coupled iat cars to permit the transport of a wheeled, piggy-back mounted vehicle thereacross. One major drawback encountered by the known bridging apparatus is the damage caused to the pivot means by the impact imparted to the bridge plate by the side tianges of the adjacent at car when the bridge plate is in the horizontal position and the coupled flat cars are not in longitudinal alignment (such as might occur on a curve, for example, with the train either in a condition of rest or during slow movement in a freight yard). The present invention was developed to provide an improved bridge plate construction that avoids the above and other drawbacks of the known apparatus.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a liat car bridge plate that is not only pivotable between horizontal and vertical positions, but also is adapted, when in the horizontal position, for slight pivotable movement about a vertical axis, whereby damage to the pivot means is avoided when the coupled iiat cars are not in exact longitudinal alignment. According to the present invention, use is made of slot means that receive the ends of the bridge plate pivot pins and permit limited movement thereof when the bridge plate is in the horizontal position, whereby movement of the horizontal bridge plate about a vertical axis is permitted. The slot means preferably have identical arcuate configurations the central portions of which have a lo'wer elevation than the end portions, whereby the pivotally connected end of the bridge plate is elevated slightly to reduce the frictional forces thereof relative to the iiat car load supporting surface when the horizontal bridge plate is pivoted about the vertical axis.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification when considered in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURES l and 2 are side elevation and top plan views, respectively, illustrating the use of the bridge plate 3,421,454 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 rice means of the present invention in connection railway fiat cars; t w v y FIGURE 3 is a detailed top plan view of abridge plate when in the horizontal bridging position;

FIGURES 4, S and 6 are sectional viewsl taken along lines 4--4, 5-5 and 6--6, respectively, of FIGURE-3; and v l y FIGURES 7 and 8 are side elevation and sectional views, respectively, of the bridge plate when in ,the vertical position, said iigures corresponding generally to FIG URES 4 and 5, respectively.

Referring iirst more particularly to FIGURES 1 and2, a series of railway flat cars 2, 4 and 6 coupled by couplings 7 are provided for the piggy-back transport of a trailer truck 8. Pivotally connected at diagonally opposed corners of the cars 2, 4 and 6 are bridge plates 10a, 10b, 12a, 12b, and 14a, respectively. Bridge plate 10a is illustrated in the vertical locked position, and the remaining bridge plates are illustrated in their horizontal positions for bridging the gaps between the ends of the coupled at cars to permit the transport of the trailer truck thereacross. The iiat car 2 includes a horizontal supporting surface 2a from the longitudinal side edges of which upwardly extend a pair of conventional side flanges 2b. The other cars are similarly provided with horizontal supporting surfaces and side flanges.

Referring now to FIGURES 3-8, the bridge plate 10a is pivotally connected at one end to the supporting surface 2a of at car 2 for pivotal movement between horizontal (FIGURES 3 6) and vertical (FIGURES 7 and 8) positions. Welded to one end of bridge 10ais a pivot rod 14 the ends of which extend laterally outwardly to define pivot pins journalled in openings or slots 16 contained in a pair of parallel, spaced longitudinally-arranged support plates 18 the lower ends of which are welded to the load supporting surface 2a. Each of the slots has a generally arcuate conliguration the end portions of which have a higher elevation relative to the load supporting surface 2a than the central portion. Rigidly secured at their lower ends to the load supporting surface 2a on opposite sides of the pivot rod 14 are a pair of vertical pins 20, 22 which are centrally arranged. 'in longitudinally spaced relation between the support plates 18. The pin 22 extends upwardly into a corresponding `pivot opening 24 contained within bridge plate 10a. The bridge plate is provided with a pair of longitudinal projections 26, 28 that are adapted for insertion within corresponding vertical recesses 30, 32 contained within the supporting surface 2a when the bridge plate is pivoted to the vertical position of FIGURES 7 and 8, whereby the bridge plate is maintained in the vertical position.

Welded to the load supporting surface 2a is a ramp 36 that protects the vertical pivot pins 20, 22 against damage and facilitates the transport of the Wheeled vehicle onto the bridging plate when in the horizontal position.

Slidably mounted in a bore contained in side lug 38 on the bridge plate is a lock shaft 40. When the bridge plate is pivoted to the vertical position of FIGURE 7, the lock shaft is displaced downwardly to cause the lower end thereof to extend within a corresponding locking recess 42 contained within the load supporting surface 2a.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, the bridge plate arrangement thus far described is so designed that when the bridge plate is in the horizontal position, a certain extent of pivotal movement of the ybridge plate about the vertical axis of pin 22 is permitted. Thus, in the event that the coupled cars are on a turn (and consequently are not in longitudinal alignment), the bridge plate 10a is engaged by the side flange of the next successive car 4 and is pivoted in the clockwise direction to the position 10a' illustrated by the phantom lines in FIGURE 3. By proper location of the pins 20, 22, design of the slots 16, and

with coupled construction of the opening 24, the ends of rod 14 move in opposite directions in their corresponding slots 16 contained in support plates 1'8, respectively, whereby damage to the rod and the support plates is avoided. It will be apparent from FIGURES 4-6 that when the bridge plate a is in its normal horizontal position, the ends of shaft 14 are caused by gravity to assume the lowermost positions in their corresponding slots 16. Owing to the identical arcuate configurations of these slots, during pivotal movement of the bridge plate to the position 10a illustrated in phantom in FIGURE 3, rod 14 (and consequently the end of `bridge plate 10a) is elevated slightly to relieve the frictional resistance between the bridge plate and the supporting surface. Thus when the train is straightened to again effect longitudinal alignment of the cars, the bridge plate is automatically returned to its normal orientation relative to the flat car 2, the ends of rod 14 bein-g in the lowermost central portion of the slots 16.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, when the bridge plate is in the horizontal position, it is supported by the end portion of load supporting surface 2a.

While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes, the preferred form and embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the apparatus described without deviating from the invention set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for bridging the gap between the adjacent ends of the horizontal load supporting surfaces of a pair of coupled railway at cars, comprising a pair of parallel spaced vertical support plates longitudinally arranged on and extending upwardly from the load supporting surface of one car, said plates containing opposed slots;

a horizontal bridge member extending at one end between said support plates, said bridge member being adapted to extend at its other end above the load supporting surface of the other car; and

means connecting said bridge member with said support plates for pivotal movement about horizontal and vertical axes, comprising horizontal pivot pin means extending laterally from said bridge member into said slots, each of said slots having `a generally arcuate configuration and including a central portion having a given height relative to the corresponding load supporting surface, and a pair of end portions each having a greater height relative to said load supporting surface, whereby the pivotally connected end of the bridge member is elevated slightly to reduce the frictional forces thereof relative to the load supporting surface when the bridge member is pivoted about the vertical axis.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including vertical pin means operable ywhen said bridge member is in the horizontal position for preventing longitudinal movement of the central portion of said one end of said bridge member relative to the corresponding load supporting surface.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said vertical pin means includes a first pin secured at its lower end to said corresponding load supporting surface, said first pin being centrally `arranged between said support plates and extending upwardly, when said bridge member is in the horizontal position, within a corresponding pivot opening contained within the lower surface of said bridge member.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and further wherein said vertical pin means comprises a second pin secured at its lower end to said corresponding load supporting surface, said second pin being centrally arranged between said support plates and longitudinally spaced on the opposite side of said first pin from the adjacent end of said first horizontal load supporting surface, said second pin being arranged for engagement by the end of said bridge member to cause the pivot pins to move in opposite directions in their corresponding slots, respectively, when the bridge member, in the horizontal position, pivots about the first pivot pin.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, and further including projection means on said bridge member arranged for insertion within corresponding recesses contained within said load supporting surface when said bridge member is pivoted to the vertical position, and means for locking said bridge member in said vertical position;

and further including ramp means secured to said load supporting surface adjacent the ends of said supporting plate remote from the adjacent end of said flat car for permitting transport of a vehicle onto the bridge member, when in the horizontal bridging position, without damaging said pivot means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 84,808 12/1868 Eljer 10S-458 3,003,167 10/1961 Smith 105-458 3,161,153 12/1964 Johnson 105`458 3,203,364 8/1965 Gutridge 105`458 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. RICHARD A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner. 

